Lamp holder for a double ended fluorescent lamp



May 31, 1955 1.. E. PETERS 2,709,792

LAMP HOLDER FOR A DOUBLE ENDED FLUORESCENT LAMP F1166 April 26, 1954 IN VEN TOR.

I 610451? Pelera, BY l w.

% YQM LAMP HOLDER FOR A DOUBLE ENDED FLUQRESCENT LAMP Lewis E. Peters, Beverly Shores, 1nd,, assignor to Raymond M. Price and Associates, Inc., Chesterton, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application April 26, 1954, Serial No. 425,617

4 Claims. (Cl. 33950) This invention relates to improvements in lamp holders and specifically to improvements in lamp holders for tubular fluorescent lamps.

Present holders for fluorescent lamps assume variations of a single general style comprising a holder or socket of insulating material arranged for mounting to a supporting surface and having a break or entry in its sidewalls for freely inserting terminals of the tubular fluorescent lamp into the holder with a motion substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tube. Locking engagement and contact of the lamp terminal posts with contacts of the socket is normally perfected by axial rotation or twisting of the lamp bulb relative to the holder or socket. A major defect in such type of holders resides in the mode in which the lamps are attached thereto, namely, the requirement or permission of twisting or rotating the lamp tube relative to the socket holder. In use, it is frequently possible and quite common for the lamps to become loose by reversing or continuing their twisting motion thereby to unlock their terminals from the holder.

My present lamp holder is designed specifically to eliminate any twisting or rotational motion of the lamp relative to the holder either during or after its connection with the holder. Specifically, the holder or socket of my invention includes an enclosed substantially cylindrical housing having terminal receiving apertures formed through one end wall thereof. A pair of spring terminalv clip members are arranged within the socket to receive and resiliently grip the terminal pins of a fluorescent lamp when the same are axially inserted into said apertures without distortion of their normal alignment. Circuit leads are connected to the terminal members within the holder for connection to a power source for energizing the lamp and such extend from the housing substantially longitudinally thereof and from the end opposite to that through which the lamp terminals enter. Separate bracket clip means are provided to grip the exterior of my improved socket; such having features for connection to a supporting base.

The main object of my present invention is to provide a new and improved lamp holder for fluorescent lamps which is specifically constructed to avoid rotational motion of the mounted lamp relative to the holding socket.

A further object of my invention is to provide a new and improved lamp holder which embodies simplified principles of construction and arrangement of elements for effecting economies of production and ease and simplicity in its use and operation.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of my invention will be recognized by those familiar with the art for its following detail description and specifications and particularly with reference to the illustration of a preferred embodiment of its features as found in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view demonstrating the various elements and parts of my improved lamp rates atetlt ice holder in coaxial arrangement and alignment for assembly;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the front end of the lamp holder housing illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a median cross sectional view of the housing taken substantially along lines 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an end elevational view, showing the open rear end of the housing illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing.

With reference to the drawing, particularly Figure l therein, it will be seen that the assembly of my invention includes a substantially cylindrical or barrel shaped housing it), a pair of resilient terminal clip members 11, 11, connective leads 12, 12 for terminals 11, a back cover disc or plug 13 and a socket holding bracket or clip means 14, all designed to receive and support the terminal end of a fluorescent lamp 15. v

The housing and back cover are preferably made of a suitable insulating material, such as a phenolic condensate product or a similar substance so that the same are readily adapted for forming as by press molding operations etc., familiar in this art.

The particular features of housing member 10 include a substantially cylindrical body portion 20 distinguished at its forward end by a radially enlarged annular rim portion 21, and an inset or recessed transverse front wall 22 separating the rim 21 from the interior of the body portion; it being understood that the front wall 22, rim portion 21 and body portion 20 are molded as an integral unit in manufacture.

As will be recognized from Figures 2 and 3 especially, rim portion 21 is concentrically related with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body portion. Further, the recessed front Wall 22 has two spaced apart openings 23, 23 formed therethrough which are arranged to receive protruding lamp terminal pins 25, 25, illustrated in Figure 1.

From the cross-sectional showing of housing 10, in Figure 3, it will be understood that internally of the housing is a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending, chambers 26, 26 of substantially rectangular crosssectional configuration separated by a web or wall 27. Such chambers communicate substantially coaxially with openings 23, 23 formed in the front wall portion 22. The opposite end of the chambers 26 of housing 10 open to a substantially cylindrical recess 28 at the rear end of the member 2% as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. The back cover member or disc 13, is engaged in the recess 28 in assembling said member '10. Such back cover member comprises a circular disc or plug of insulating material having two spaced openings 29, 29 therethrough for the passage of the connective electrical leads 12,..12, illustrated in Figure l. v

The resilient terminal clips 11, 11 illustrated in Figure l, are arranged and designed for the purpose of engaging and resiliently grasping the terminal pins 25, 25 of the fluorescent lamp when said pins are inserted through the housings forward Wall 22 via openings 23, 23. Such clips each comprise preferably a substantially U shaped spring element of copper or like current conductive material. ln end outline such clips are defined substantially rectangularly. This shape is provided specifically for nonrotatively fitting and confining the clips into the rectangular cross-section chambers 26, 26 formed internally of the housing body portion 20. It will also be noted that the arms or legs of such clips are straight or planar so that opposite arms of each clip will engage against opposite sides of a cylindrical terminal post of a fluorescent lamp with substantially line contact. The planar portions are offset inward as seen.

From the foregoing it will be recognized that the assembly of housing 10, clip elements 11, 11, leads 12, 12

and rear cover 13 assumes a substantially longitudinal alignment of the several parts. in other words, the clips 11, 11 with attached electrical leads 12, 12 (the latter being connected to a web 30 of the two clips by solder or the like), are inserted axially into the rectangular crosssection chambers 26, 26 of the housing. Tne baci; cover 13 is then fitted over the rearward end of the clip members and pressed snugly within the recess 28 of the housing where it may be cemented in place. in this regard, it will be understood that the terminal leads 12, 22 are inserted through openings 29, 29 of the rear cover and extend substantially axially outward from the rear end of the assembled socket.

It will be understood that the attachment of a fluorescent lamp 115 to a lamp holder device of the type hereinabove described, is accomplished simply by inserting the lamp terminals 25, 25 endwise into the terminal receiving openings 23 formed in the housings recessed front wall The internal diameter of the rim portion 21 of the housing, incidently, is substantially equal to the external diameter of the fluorescent lamp adjacent its protruding terminal pins to enable insertion of the lamp end into the recess thereby giving the lamp stability when it is held at both ends between holder means, as I have herein described.

To provide means for carrying the assembled fluorescent lamp and lamp holders of my invention, I have devised a simplified resilient bracket member 14, as best illustrated in Figure 1. This bracket includes a pair of separated curved spring arm portions 31, 31 interconnected at their lower ends by a platform 32. Such arms removably receive and tightly grip the exterior of body portion 20 therebetween. Extending prongs or staple elements 33, 33 are struck outwardly of the bracket arms 31 for anchoring such to a suitable supporting base or the like.

From the above description of the several elements and their assembly to form the improved lamp holder of my invention, it will be understood that relative rotation of the fluorescent lamp with respect to a pair of lamp holders, one carrying each end of the lamp tube, is eliectively prevented. Disconnection of the lamp from my holder is done simply by removing the holder from the bracket member 14 in a movement at right angles to the lamp axis carrying the lamp with and axially moving the holder outward and axially of the pins 25 of the lamp to withdraw same from the openings 23, 23 of the holder body. To mount the lamp, the procedure is reversed.

While 1 have herein described and shown one preferred emobdiment for my invention, it nevertheless will be understood and appreciated that numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be resorted to therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As a consequence, I do not wish to be limited to the particular features of the lamp holder herein described and shown except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lamp holder for a fluorescent lamp having a cylindrical end portion and a pair of spaced apart parallel pins, comprising a substantially cylindrical integral housing having a circular front end wall adapted to face and be engaged by said end portion of the lamp, the end wall having spaced apart openings of configuration and alignment adapted to receive elongate circular cross section pins therein, a pair of elongate spaced apart chambers of substantially rectangular cross sectional shape extending axially of the housing having a web therebetween, said chambers terminating at said front end wall and having the openings communicating therewith and adapted to receive said pins in said chambers a substantial distance, the opposite end of said housing having an annular recess and the chambers opening to said recess, a fitted plug engaged in said recess and having a pair of electrical contact clip elements mounted thereon in alignment with said respective chambers and entered within said chambers extending substantially along the lengths thereof, each element being substantially U-shaped with the base of each engaged upon the plug and connected with an electrical lead. extending outward through the plug, the arms of each U-shaped element providing a pair of rectilinear wiping contacts adapted for engagement with the respective pins.

2. A structure as described in claim 1 in which the elements each occupy an overall volume substantially the same size and shape as said respective chambers, and said arms have inwardly offset portions providing said wiping contacts spaced apart less than the diameter of the respective pins so that deformation is resiliently opposed when said pins are inserted therebetween.

3. A structure as described in claim 1 in which the said end wall has an integral annular axially extending rim whereby to form an annular recess adapted to seat said lamp end portion.

4. In combination, a fluorescent lamp of the bi-pin type and having opposite cylindrical ends each having a pair of spaced apart parallel pins, a pair of lamp holders one at each end of the lamp, each holder comprising a substantially cylindrical integral housing having a circular front end wall facing and engaged by an end portion of the lamp, each end wall having spaced apart openings conforming in configuration and alignment with said pins and said pins being engaged in said openings, a pair of elongate spaced apart chambers of substantially rectangular cross sectional shape extending axially of the housing of each holder, and having a web therebetwecn, said chambers terminating at said front end wall and having the openings communicating therewith so that the said pins enter said chmabers a substantial distance, the opposite end ofeach of said housings having an annular recess and the chambers or each housing opening to a recess, a fitted plug in each recess and having a pair of electrical contact clip elements mounted thereon in alignment with the respective chambers of a housing and entered within the chambers extending substantially along the length thereof, each element being substantially U- shaped with the base of each engaged upon the plug and with an electrical lead extending outward through the plug, the arms of each Ushapecl element providing a. pair of rectilinear wiping contacts with the respective pins, a pair of spaced brackets fixed one relative to the other and the holders engaged thereto, at least one bracket comprising a resilient U-shaped clip permitting ready removal and replacement of a holder therein while the holder is engaged with a lamp end.

References Used in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 1,886,199 Kulka Nov. 1, 1932 1,894,1l2 McNeil ian. H), 1933 2,060,115 Pollock Nov. 10, i936 2,113,792 Ladd Apr. 12, 1938 2,229,377 Friang Jan. 21, l94-l FOREIGN PATENTS 332,550 Great Britain July 21, 1930 945 798 France Dec. 6, 1948 

